Mr Monk and the Other Sister
by ifyoucanfindmeimhere
Summary: During Mr. Monk and the Earthquake, Monk muses on his previous encounters with Sharona's sister.
1. Default Chapter

Monk felt helpless.  
  
This was a different feeling than usual. Even though many people tended to act as if he was helpless, Adrian always knew differently. He *could* get along without help... it just wouldn't be in the same manner normal people lived their lives. In order to exist with the outside world, he did need help, and he never begrudged that, and he certainly appreciated it coming as it had. Shortly after Trudy's death, on his long spiral downward, he had rejected help, striking out at everyone, pushing people away. That is, until he found someone he couldn't push away. Since then, he had trusted Sharona with everything, and she had helped him to do things he never thought he would be able to do again. She made his accomplishments and victories his, gently nudging him (or sometimes giving him a swift kick in the pants) along to get where he was going. She was content to wait in the background until she was needed, and when she was needed, she was instantly there. In all the time she had been with him, he never felt helpless.  
  
Until right now. Waiting behind a lamppost as Sharona sweet-talked her sister into letting him stay with them at her house.  
  
Adrian watched as Sharona and Gail went at it. They were like alley cats, always scratching and hissing at each other. Until he met Gail for the first time several years ago, he had never quite understood Sharona. For as sweet and wonderful as she could be, she could dig in her heels and argue with the best of them. It was that skill that had kept her around him in the first place- she could argue, insist, squabble and bicker till the sun went down- and in the world of Adrian Monk, to protest as equally as he did was an Olympic feat.  
  
Growing up with Gail as a sister, Monk knew that she had needed every bit of spit and vinegar she could muster. But the idea of a childhood with Gail, now that was a hell that Monk didn't even want to imagine. As an only child, he couldn't fathom growing up having to share and compete for things. Besides, from what he saw from Gail, he had no doubt that had he had a sibling, luck would have dictated it be a messy one, and Monk had no doubt he would have spent his childhood cleaning up after his sibling. But growing up with Gail... now that had explained just about everything he had ever wondered about Sharona within about 10 seconds of meeting her.  
  
Sharona beckoned for Monk to cross the street to Gail's apartment. She had worked her magic once again... that dammed bargaining. He had half-hoped that she would fail, and he would be allowed to go home alone. And once again, Monk felt helpless.  
  
He hated the feeling.. it was like being a child, waiting till your friend asked his mom if you could sleep over, after already being invited by him. Dr. Kroger had told Sharona not to leave him alone after this mornings little "episode". Sharona had tried to convince Monk that he had in fact been speaking gibberish, but he didn't buy it. After all, everything he said made perfect sense to him... but if it was gibberish, how could he understand it? No, he was quite sure Sharona just didn't want to be chasing him around the city while she was also trying to figure out when she could move back into her apartment, and work on flirting with that Australian reporter she had met earlier.  
  
He and Gail exchanged tight greetings. His experience with Gail told him to be on his toes. Although Sharona had assured him that Gail was seeing somebody at the moment and there wouldn't be a repeat of that last time, Monk was still apprehensive. If he thought Sharona was aggressive about seeking out dates, he had not been prepared for Gail whatsoever. Pit Bull- wasn't that what Sharona said Gail's high school nickname was? Once she latched into a man, she didn't let go.  
  
As Sharona and Gail settled down in the living room to catch up, Monk headed to the guest room to get settled. Sharona wouldn't let him bring more than the two suitcases to spend the night- after the sleepover with Monica she had taken most of his other bags and hid them so he couldn't pack so extravagantly the next time. As he carefully put things away in drawers and set up a few of Trudy's photos on the nightstand, his thoughts wandered back to that first time Sharona had introduced him to Gail. That was the day he thanked his lucky stars that he had managed to wind up with the much safer Fleming sister. 


	2. Chapter 2

Mr. Monk and the Other Sister Part 2/4-ish  
  
Notes: This is my first attempt at fanfic in many years, so please be kind.  
  
This is an evolving work, and even I don't know exactly where it's going, so please be patient!  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, though I wish it was so that I could make everything go the way I want, but since I can't, I am writing this. Everything belongs to USA Network.  
  
  
  
"Mom, What's he doing?" Benji said, not averting his eyes from watching Adrian Monk sterilize his utensils. Sharona sighed. "Just cleaning up honey. He'll join us in a minute." She was beginning to wonder if this whole Thanksgiving dinner thing had been a bad idea. It had sounded ok in theory when it had been proposed to her last week. Monk had been in the inpatient care at Belleview Psychiatric Hospital for over a year, and Sharona had known him almost the whole time. She knew his story, and watching him struggle with his grief had been a source of constant pain for her. It took her weeks just to be able to enter his private room at meal times to serve him- even longer before he would answer any more than a yes or no to her questions. But slowly, he came out of his shell to her. The hospital staff noticed it and once it was mentioned to his boss at the police department, she was formally requested to serve as Adrian Monk's personal nurse after his impending departure from the hospital.  
  
At first, it sounded great. Flexible hours, more time with Benji, and better pay. Plus, she felt like she might really help this man get his life back together. A trial run was scheduled during the thanksgiving weekend, to make sure that both parties could function together. If all went well, Adrian Monk would move back into his home the first of the New Year, and Sharona would have a new job as his practical nurse. But as she went to pick him up from the hospital for the weekend trial, she was apprehensive. It felt more like picking out a puppy from the pound than it did getting a new boss.  
  
And now, watching her new boss sterilize his utensils as they waited for him to begin thanksgiving dinner, she was surethat she had made a mistake. This man wasn't ready to leave the hospital, and even if he was, she was already a mother to an 8-year-old son- she couldn't take on another, full grown one.  
  
Satisfied that is fork was finally clean enough to use, Monk sat down at the table and glanced nervously between Benji and Sharona. For his part, Benji was focused on the latex gloves that this strange houseguest was wearing. Sharona had warned Benji that Mr. Monk was afraid of germs, but Benji didn't quite understand why. Sharona and Benji began to eat in silence, both glancing periodically at Monk, who was carefully examining the food and taking small, tentative bites. Finally, it was Benji who broke the silence.  
  
"Why are you wearing those gloves?" Benji asked.  
  
"Benji" hissed Sharona, giving him the look of death. She had told Benji what she thought he needed to know about Monk, carefully explaining that he did have some strange behaviors, but that he was going to be her new boss, and to be careful and polite when asking him questions.  
  
Monk, for his part, just gave Benji a quizzical look. "Because I don't want the germs to get on me." His statement made obvious that he thought Benji was the strange one for not figuring this out. He resumed eating, but Benji wasn't done.  
  
"Do you always wear them?"  
  
"No, not always. Just when there are germs."  
  
Benji looked at Monk with a hurt look in his eyes. "So you think we have germs?"  
  
"No, no, I. I um.." Monk stammered and looked to Sharona, who was too mortified at the way the conversation was going to help him out. Monk glanced back at Benji, whose expression had not changed.  
  
"Here, if it will help, I'll take them off for you." Monk offered, and began to remove the gloves.  
  
"No!" Sharona finally got her mouth to obey her, and waved away Monk's suggestion. "Benji, if Mr. Monk wants to wear gloves, it's OK. He doesn't think we have germs, but he's worried anyway, and that's just fine. Now leave him alone and eat your dinner."  
  
Monk looked relieved at Sharona's permission to leave the gloves on, and soon resumed eating as well. They ate in silence for a moment until the doorbell rang, spooking both Monk and Sharona, who almost spilled the glass of wine hoping would help get through the night. "I'll get it!" yelled Benji, who practically leaped out of his chair towards the door. Sharona looked at Monk apologetically.  
  
"I'm so sorry about him. Sometimes he just says things before thinking. He's a good kid, he really is."  
  
Monk smiled, a first for him this evening. She liked his smile- always had. His entire face would light up when stretched into that rare position, and she had learned that it meant he was relaxing a little bit. She felt better seeing it, and was even more relieved when he said, "Don't worry about it. He's just a boy. We. I. used to want to have children. He means no harm."  
  
His face melted back into its normal slight grimace, and Sharona knew that he was thinking about his dead wife. She couldn't imagine how hard it was for him- his first holiday outside the hospital without her, with this strange woman and her annoying son. She wouldn't blame him if.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted when Benji entered the room dragging her sister Gail by the arm.  
  
"Gail!" Sharona exclaimed. " What are you doing here? I thought you where in San Diego for the weekend with what's-his-name?"  
  
"Jeremy?" Gail said. "Jeremy is history. We got all the way to Barstow when that heap of junk car of his broke down. Took him 4 hours to admit he had no idea what was wrong with it, then another to actually call Auto Club. Can you imagine! Me, six hours, sitting in the desert! I left him fighting with the guy at the garage over how much it would be to patch up the radiator. We're in the desert, there's like one garage for a million miles, and he's fighting over the price! So I went over to a diner and hooked up with some truckers, and got a first class ride all the way back up here!"  
  
Monk looked horrified. His eyes wide in astonishment, he asked "A diner? You hitchhiked? Like, in a truck? With truckers? Oh god, I think I need to wash my hands." He left the table instantly, and almost sprinted towards the guest bathroom.  
  
For the first time, Gail registered that there was someone else in the room besides Benji and Sharona. "Who was that? A new boyfriend? You didn't tell me you were seeing someone! Why didn't you ."  
  
"Gail, shut up!" Sharona shushed her sister, glancing towards the direction Monk left in. "He's not my boyfriend, he's a patient."  
  
"You're seeing your patient? That's pretty desperate, even for you!"  
  
"No, no. He's the one I told you about- remember? The cop whose wife died, and might need a full time nurse?  
  
"You mean, he's that one who's wacko- with the heights and germs and milk and stuff?"  
  
"GAIL, quiet! He's not crazy; he's just got some. issues. What about you? Are you going back to your apartment tonight? "  
  
"Hell no" Gail said, shaking her head. Jeremy will be right back there again looking for me. That is, as soon as he realizes I'm gone in a few days. I figured I'd crash here till he gets sick of waiting and moves on. I'm starving." She sat down at the table and began serving herself parts of the rapidly cooling dinner.  
  
"There is no way you can stay here this weekend Gail. Mr. Monk is staying here- we're giving the whole thing a trial run."  
  
"You've got a mental patient staying at your house? I knew you were seeking male companionship, but isn't that going a little far?"  
  
"It's just for the weekend Gail, please. If it works out, he'll move back into his house and I'd go there and help him out and stuff. Look, I guess you can sleep on the couch tonight, but please, behave yourself. I'm having enough trouble keeping Benji in line; I don't need to worry about you too, OK?  
  
"Hey" Gail said with a smile. "Don't worry about me. I'll be good, promise."  
  
The smell of disinfectant preceded Monk back into the room. "I'm sorry," he said. "I just had to clean up a little. "  
  
Gail flashed him one of her man killer smiles. "Hi" she said, running her hand purposely through her curly hair. "I'm Gail, Sharona's younger sister." 


	3. Chapter 3

Mr. Monk and the Other Sister Part 3 of oh, 5 or so.  
  
Notes: This is my first attempt at fanfic in many years, so please be kind.  
  
This is an evolving work- it's already turned into more of a "how it all began" type thing than I intended, but as long as everyone seems to think that's ok, I'll keep going and see where we end up! Please let me know if you like it!  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, though I wish it was so that I could make everything go the way I want, but since I can't, I am writing this. Everything belongs to USA Network.  
  
  
  
Sharona could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The rest of dinner had gone pretty much how she would have expected Thanksgiving dinner in hell to go. Despite her promises to the contrary, Gail had immediately went into full- blown flirt mode. Apparently, although she could insult Sharona for the mere thought of it, Gail herself was not beyond flirting with the mental patient. Monk had pleasantly surprised Sharona though. he did hold his own against her. Every time Gail would bat her eyes at him, or laugh insanely when he made a comment (who knew the guy actually had a tiny sense of humor?), he would ignore the flirtatious behavior. Sharona could tell he was trying. But she could also tell he was uncomfortable- she would imagine that he felt like he had been thrown to the sharks, suddenly center-stage where Gail was concerned. He gave Sharona a grateful look when she said they should take a break before dessert and nodded him off. If what he did at the hospital was any indication, than it was time for one of his six daily showers- before and after breakfast, afternoon, before dinner, after dinner and before bed. Hearing the water in the apartment turn on rewarded her hunch. At least she'd have peace for a few minutes before having to worry about Gail torturing the poor man again.  
  
Gail sauntered into the kitchen and hopped onto the counter next to where Sharona was washing dishes.  
  
"What's Benji watching?" Sharona asked, hoping at least that she could count on Gail not to let him watch any violence or murder while she was with him in the TV room.  
  
"I don't know, something with aliens in suits or something. So, your crazy guy- he's kind of cute, in a boyish way."  
  
Sharona couldn't stand it anymore, and almost broke the plate she was washing dropping it back into the soapy water. She shouted to Gail " I can't believe you! Not only did I tell you what the story was, I specifically asked you to leave him alone, and what do you do? You flirt with him the entire dinner! You promised me you wouldn't! He's going to go back to the hospital, and tell my boss that my son thought he was crazy, and that my sister practically threw herself at him! And you know what. Then, not only will have lost this job, but my old boss will fire me too! And then, you, you.." she couldn't think of anything else "you won't have a place to crash when you break up with this boyfriend and that boyfriend, because me and Benji will be living on the street, all because you couldn't keep your claws out of one man!"  
  
"Jeeze sis, relax. God, I can't believe you're getting so worked up over this." She grinned. "You must really like this guy."  
  
"Agggggh!" Sharona screamed, flinging a handful of soapsuds towards her sister and storming out of the room. "You're really incredible, you know that!"  
  
------  
  
Sharona had gotten to her room and shut the door when there was a faint knock and a "mom" from outside. Letting himself in, Benji sat down beside her on her bed, looking worried. "Mom, is Mr. Monk going to fire you because of Aunt Gail?"  
  
Sharona had to smile at that. Sometimes she was genuinely amazed at how perceptive Benji could be. Then again, at times like tonight at dinner, she just wanted to strangle the kid. Amazing how quickly he could get back in her good graces. She pulled him close into a hug. "No sweetie, I don't think so. At least, I hope not. What do you think of Mr. Monk? Do you think I should work for him?"  
  
"Yeah!" Benji said, wriggling out of the embrace. "He's cool! Did you see how he eats? He separated every vegetable from the salad and ate them one at a time, and then he counted the pieces of corn! He's cool- I can't wait to tell Marcus about him when I go to his house tomorrow night."  
  
"Benji, Mr. Monk is not like a funny story you can go telling people about for laughs. He's a good person who is sick right now. I'm glad he said he likes you, because some people wouldn't want to have a nurse with a little boy who asks questions all the time" Sharona looked at him pointedly. "But, he seemed to like you, at least more than I've seen him like anyone else, and that's a good thing. If he becomes my boss, than it's not just my job, but also your job also to help him get better, and you can do that by treating him like anyone else, and helping to show him how to do things. You might also have to do some things for him that he's afraid to do that might seem strange to you, but that's just the way things are. Do you think that you could do that?" Sharona looked at him trying to read his expression. It hadn't really occurred to her until just now how much this new job with Mr. Monk might affect not just her, but her son too. And maybe, her son could become a friend to this man with seemingly not a friend in the world.  
  
Benji considered his mothers words carefully. Finally, he said, "Yes, I think I could do that. But Mom?"  
  
"Yes Benji?"  
  
"Do you think I could see his badge?"  
  
"I think, if you and I can help Mr. Monk, we might both get to see his badge one day. Now, go back to your show, I'm going to go see if Mr. Monk is ready to have dessert."  
  
Sharona was apprehensive about knocking on the door to the guest bedroom- she knew that sometimes Monk would freak out after or during a shower and lock himself inside his rooms scrubbing off 'germs' for hours at a time. So she breathed a sigh of relief when there was only a small delay in the "come in" he called after she knocked on the door.  
  
She was shocked to look around the room and see he had already made it "home"- photos of his dead wife on the nightstand, his clothes carefully locked in baggies and away in drawers. As for Monk, he was sitting at the desk with a file Sharona immediately recognized as some of the evidence from his wife murder. It was his constant companion, and Sharona hoped he would pull away from it now. "Mr. Monk? Dessert is ready. would you like to come have some?"  
  
Monk finally looked up from the photos he was peering at and stared at her for a moment. Finally, he said, "You can call me Adrian" and got up and headed out of the room. Sharona was shocked, as she had never heard anyone, not doctors or even his friends, cal this man by his first name. She shook her head, and with a feeling that maybe this could work, followed Adrian Monk back into the kitchen. --- 


	4. Chapter 4

Mr. Monk and the Other Sister Part 4 of 5.  
  
Notes: This is my first attempt at fanfic in many years, so please be kind.  
  
This is an evolving work- it's already turned into more of a "how it all began" type thing than I intended, but as long as everyone seems to think that's ok, I'll keep going and see where we end up! Please let me know if you like it!  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, though I wish it was so that I could make everything go the way I want, but since I can't, I am writing this. Everything belongs to USA Network.  
  
  
  
--------  
  
The next morning, Adrian awoke to the smell of fresh coffee and breakfast, and for a moment he almost forgot where he was. The sounds of a child getting ready for school broke his reverie, and hurriedly he got up and headed for the shower. An hour later he emerged from his room, and to his surprise the house appeared empty. He wandered aimlessly for a few minutes, examining photos on the walls and straightening the pillows on the couches.  
  
"Sharona got called into work. She said I that you were going to check on your old house today, and if you wanted I could take you there."  
  
"Oh, well, um." Monk stammered. He hadn't been back to the house since the day after Trudy's funeral, when his stay at Belleview had began. And although he had mentally prepared himself for the visit, he wasn't sure he was ready to go today, with this woman. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he didn't trust her. She was a loud, bullish woman, and he wasn't ready to share his house with anybody, much less her.  
  
On the other hand, if he didn't go to the house, he'd be stuck here all day with her, and that could be even worse. "Ok" He finally said. "We can go there."  
  
-- Gail couldn't quite believe what she was doing. Yesterday she had been on her way to San Diego with Jeremy- today, she was driving her sisters car, with a strange man in the back seat, covering his eyes with his latex gloves donned hands.  
  
That morning, before she left to cover an emergency shift, Sharona had told Gail what to expect- at least, what she thought she could expect. Even Sharona had no idea what it would be like for this man to see his house again after all these months, and she was a bit perturbed that no one from the hospital had planned on joining them. But the psychiatrists at the hospital had their hands full, and Monk had yet to be assigned a private practitioner. All they had really told her was that the house had not been entered by anyone since shortly after Monk had left it 11 months ago.  
  
"So, your house, is it nice?" Gail asked, stumped as to how to make conversation with her passenger.  
  
"It was" said Monk, not raising his head from his hands.  
  
"You know, I'm not that bad a driver. You could probably open your eyes. Besides, I need you to show me where to turn."  
  
Through a slit between his fingers, Monk directed Gail to his driveway. Opening the door to the car, he stepped out slowly, gingerly, as though the he might fall right through the ground if he pressed too hard. He made his way up the steps examining every detail of the house, Gail following several steps behind. From the outside at least, it was well maintained, mowed and trimmed. Someone had obviously been paying for a gardener to tend the house.  
  
Coming to the front door, Monk extended a gloved hand and turned the knob, but the door was locked.  
  
"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot, here are the keys." Gail dug into her purse and came up with a set of house and car keys. It took Monk a moment to recognize the item, and once he did, he was shocked.  
  
"Where did you get those? These are Trudy's keys. I haven't seen these since.since.." He trailed off, holding the keys gingerly, examining the key chain from all angles.  
  
"Sharona gave them to me for today. I think she got them from the hospital."  
  
"Personal effects."  
  
"Huh?" Gail had no idea what Monk was talking about.  
  
"Personal effects. They took all my personal effects when I went to Belleview. When I asked for these back, they said that I couldn't have them- I guess they thought if I had keys to my house, I would run off. They didn't understand, I didn't want this for the keys. This. this is Trudy. This could have been one of the last things she touched."  
  
After a few moments of silence, Monk took a deep breath, and inserted the key into the door. Upon opening the door, his senses where almost overwhelmed by memories. The smells, the sights- it was as if it was the day of her death, only it had never happened. He was coming home to her.  
  
"Trudy?" His mood shifted instantly from pensive to almost manic, as he sprinted to their bedroom, looked around, and called her name again, heading to the dining room, then the kitchen. He went from room to room in the house, calling her name, searching for her. Gail was momentarily taken aback, and then she remembered that this had actually been one of the things Sharona had told her to expect. Following her instructions, she paged Sharona at the hospital, and then she settled down onto the couch, watching him slowly re-realize the truth. After almost twenty minutes, the racing around slowed, and then stopped. He had come to rest at her desk and was rifling through her papers.  
  
Bored, Gail got up and started wandering the house. It had an eerie feeling to it, having been lived in then suddenly ceased existing. Gail couldn't imagine how this man could get on with his life, while his house still had his dead wife's dirty laundry in a hamper, her cosmetics around the sink and her hairbrush out on his nightstand. Gail didn't know why a maid was never called in to straighten the place up a bit. She began to straighten the master bedroom up, gathering the things that had obviously been Trudy's and setting them in a pile. In the bathroom, several almost finished cosmetics and other items she put in the trash, others she gathered into one corner.  
  
Finally satisfied with the bathroom, she took the laundry from the hamper and wandered down the hall to the laundry room. Everything in there was carefully organized, folded and pressed, with more of Trudy's clothes everywhere. Gail set the contents of the hamper in the washing machine and turned it on, then turned around to go check on Monk. Leaving the doorway, she almost slammed right into him coming up the other way.  
  
"Oh, sorry!" Gail said, and without thinking put a hand on his shoulder to steady herself. Adrian jumped back, spooked at her sudden presence, and revolted by the hand on his shoulder. He dashed towards the laundry room, and started for a minute at the machine at work. Finally he looked at her with horror "what are you washing?"  
  
"Nothing, just some stuff that was a hamper in the bedroom."  
  
"Trudy's clothes?" Adrian went for the machine, went to stick a hand inside, and then stopped at the sight of the murky, soapy water. He turned back around to Gail. "You washed Trudy's clothes! How could you?"  
  
His head ticked to the side, and he marched out of the laundry room heading for the kitchen. Gail caught up with him there walking from side to side, mumbling to himself frantically. Gail approached him slowly, not wanting to scare him again, and took a step into his path. He stopped right in front of her, but didn't stop mumbling and looking around. He looked helpless, like a trapped animal, and the fear in his eyes radiated with her. It seemed natural to her to lift her hand, and bring it gently to his face and stroke him. But as soon as she did, she realized that had been a terrible idea.  
  
He wheeled backwards from her touch and screamed, then dashed out of the room and towards the master bedroom. Taken aback for a moment, she followed the direction he had gone, only to find him in the shower, fully clothed, with steam rising from him from the temperature of the water.  
  
"Hey, if you need to take a shower, you should probably take your clothes off." Gail tried for a few more seconds to get him to listen to her, but he wasn't hearing a word she said. He broke his frantic washing for a moment to look at her, and then started up again even more hurriedly.  
  
Unsure what to do, Gail ran back into the living room to the phone, and called Sharona on her cell phone. She only heard a few rings before she was interrupted by a knocking on the front door. Gail flung it open, and was relieved to see Sharona had made it already.  
  
"Boy am I glad you're here, he's freaking out!"  
  
"What happened? What did you do to him?" Sharona asked Gail.  
  
"Nothing, I swear. He was in here looking at some papers, so I went into the bedroom and started to clean up. You know his wife's clothes where still in the hamper? So I went to wash them, and he came in and saw, and he went nuts! Started pacing around the house mumbling gibberish, and I tried to stop him and then he totally lost it and ran into the shower with his clothes on."  
  
"Gail, did you touch him?"  
  
Gail was taken aback. "No, I didn't hit on him, I swear. I just tried to comfort him, so I." It dawned on her. "I did touch his face."  
  
"Dammit" Sharona ran towards the sound of the bathroom, and saw her patient still in the steaming hot shower. He had removed his clothes and they where in a heap at the bottom of the shower. As for Monk, he was scrubbing himself franticly, talking to himself.  
  
"Mr. Monk? Are you OK?" When Sharona received no response, she reached into the shower and gently turned the knob to off. Monk kept scrubbing for a few moments, then his pace began to slow as he realized there was no longer any water. Finally the scrubbing stopped, and he looked up at Sharona. She handed him a towel, and he halfheartedly began to dry himself off. He stepped out of the shower and walked into the bedroom and sat down on the side of the bed. He looked exhausted, no doubt from his frantic episodes.  
  
Sharona followed him, and with another towel, and began to dry off his back, carefully not to touch him except with the towel. Within a few moments, his labored breathing began to return to normal. Sharona went through the closest and found a set of clothes for him to wear. She showed them to him silently, and then left the room to allow him to change. He was all right now; the crisis was over.  
  
Sharona found Gail in the living room, sitting pensively. She stood up when she saw Sharona enter.  
  
"Is he alright? I'm so sorry, I totally forgot and I had no idea he'd act that way! I shouldn't have washed the clothes, I.."  
  
"Gail" Sharona cut her off. "It's Ok. He'll be fine. "You shouldn't have touched him at all, but it happens. At least now you'll know not to in the future."  
  
"The future?" Gail was shocked. "How can you talk about the future? This is insane! You can't do this! What are you going to do, help him scrub himself raw every time someone accidentally touches him? God Sharona, don't do this. Keep working at the hospital, find another patient. Anything- just not this!"  
  
Sharona shook her head. "No" she said finally, thinking back to the heart wrenching way he looked at her in the shower. So lost, but maybe, just maybe, he could be found. "I think this is exactly where I need to be."  
  
With that, Sharona headed back to the bedroom, and opened the door. There, wearing what she had laid out for him, Adrian Monk was fast asleep on the bed. Sharona took a blanket out from the closet and slowly laid it over him- she didn't' need him getting sick right now on top of everything else.  
  
He stirred for a moment, then settled and took a big sigh. Sharona couldn't believe how at peace he looked asleep. Yes, maybe this was exactly where she needed to be. 


End file.
